Waterspirit And Other Stories

A brave new voice from Assa

On a still moonlit night Goroi jumps into the lake hoping to meet the father he has never known in life. Bhanubala and her daughter-in-law Behula dance naked at midnight in a remote field to appease the rain god. Firewood-seller Rabeya and her niece Dulali rebel against the Shariat. An opium-eater undertakes the challenge of eating a basketful of red hot chillies for a little opium and some money.

In one sweep Imran Hussain's writing examines the historical the social the individual and the assertion of the self in the face of hard-wired traditions. Entrenched in folklore his stories weave in protest and perspective into contemporary realities. The stories in this collection are a rare portrait of Assam a duet of darkness and beauty a blend of mysticism and earthiness. Available in translation for the first time Hussain is one of India's most compelling new voices.